WTIP Outdoor News Podcast WTIP Outdoor News Podcast

The U.S. Forest Service is gearing up to launch a spruce budworm response project in Cook County this summer as the prevalence of the spruce budworm expands across northeastern Minnesota.
As a preventative mitigation effort, this summer, the Forest Service intends to implement a Blue Cascade Spruce Budworm Response and Restoration Project stretching from the Caribou Trail to County Road 14, east of Grand Marais. The entire project will encompass over 2000 acres and focus on vegetation management, reducing hazardous fuels, and minimizing the density of spruce plantations to allow for more ecologically appropriate mixed-forest types.
In this week's episode of the Outdoor News Podcast, host Kalli Hawkins speaks with Tofte District Ranger Ellen Bogardus-Szymaniak about the spruce budworm project. Ellen Bogardus-Szymaniak also provides outdoor reminders as the busy summer season nears in the BWCA and Superior National Forest. 

Ryan Pennesi is a wildlife photographer based in Finland, Minn. and spends much of his time in the Superior National Forest tracking wildlife using camera-trap photography. In this week's episode, Ryan Pennesi, who is also a wildlife technician with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources talks about his passion for camera-trap photography, how his efforts contribute to better understanding of natural wildlife behavior and ongoing conservation efforts in northeast Minnesota.
Find Ryan Pennesi's photography and conservation efforts here: https://www.ryanpennesi.com/

There was a strong showing of Minnesotan's during the 52nd annual historic Iditarod race in Alaska this year. 
Three northern Minnesota individuals, two mushers and a photographer, participated in the 2024 Iditarod. The two mushers, Anna Hennessy and Erin Altemus have Grand Marais connections and each raced as a rookie in the historic race. Another individual, Ryan Rumpca, a landscape and outdoor lifestyle photographer based in Duluth was part of the Iditarod Insider crew. He shares a behind-the-lens look of the Iditarod in this week's Outdoor News Podcast episode. 

The prevalence of spruce budworm across northeastern Minnesota, particularly in the Superior National Forest, is increasing.

Efforts are ongoing in northeastern Minnesota to monitor, manage, and mitigate the impact of the spruce budworm, a native insect that feeds on the needles of spruce and balsam fir.

In this week's episode, host Kalli Hawkins is joined by Brian Sturtevant, a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service, who provides an in-depth look at spruce budworm.

Brian Sturtevant shares insights into the life history of spruce budworm and the ongoing forest management practices and research in northeastern Minnesota. Sturtevant has over two decades of experience studying spruce budworm. He dedicates his research to exploring the interactions between human land use and management and natural disturbance processes within the Superior National Forest and the Midwest.

As electric vehicles become increasingly prevalent nationwide, including along the North Shore, numerous fire departments are enhancing their training protocols and acquiring advanced extinguishing tools as the lithium-ion battery poses unique challenges for firefighters.

In recent weeks, the Grand Marais Fire Department added a new extinguishing tool to the repertoire to prepare for an EV fire in Cook County, thanks to the expertise of a skilled Grand Marais resident. Matt Stone, owner of UniMoose Enterprises, built an EV extinguishing unit for the Grand Marais Fire Department that resembles an elongated sprinkler system.

In this week's episode we learn how rural fire departments are adapting to the challenges of battling EV fires.

Minnesota’s moose population remains relatively stable, following the results of the 2024 moose survey in northern Minnesota.

After wrapping up the moose survey in early Feb., the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said the recent population estimate is approximately 3,470 animals.

Nancy Hansen, the Minnesota DNR’s area wildlife manager in Two Harbors, said the number is not a “highly precise population estimate.” Still, it gives the DNR an overall sense of the current status of moose in northern Minnesota.

The 2024 results are a 5 percent increase from the estimated 3,290 moose in the 2023 population survey.

In this week's Outdoor News Podcast host Kalli Hawkins speaks with Nancy Hansen, the Minnesota DNR’s area wildlife manager based in Two Harbors, about the 2024 moose population survey and ongoing moose habitat improvement efforts in northeastern Minnesota.